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We did what we always do on weekends, hit the antique shops in the area. One shop I go to a lot had a new person manning the desk, so I explained I was dealer, started my pile of wood kitchenwares and primitives, and she kept insisting on directing my attention to crystal, cut glass and hand painted china. I kept smiling and pointing out that my little niche is all about the wood prims, and she kept getting out the crystal bowls, and even said at the end of our stay, about my little pile of wood spoons, "No one is actually going to buy those are they?" Well, I hope so... This got me thinking about all the funny antique stores I've been in over the last 30 years, which brings me to my favorite antique stop of all times, the one that happened back in 1980 and my husband and I still laugh about it. We were in the breathtakingly beautiful town of Galena Illinois (that is what my photos are of). Way up on the hill is a huge white house, which then had a sign out front "Antiques". We went to the front door and were confronted with a note "Ring the Bell" , which we did. After a wait, the door creaked open just a crack, and an elderly man peered through the crack and snapped "What do you want?" We explained about seeing the antiques sign and thought there was a shop here. "Well, it is. What antiques do you want?" We said we just liked antiques and what kind did he sell? "Fine things, many fine things!", and still did not open the door. We had to know now, so asked if we could come in and he grudgingly allowed us through, the house was filled with, you guessed it, lead crystal and hand painted china! Since we didn't buy anything, I'm guessing we might have been the last customers he ever let in. To this day, we walk into a china shop, look at each other and say "Fine things, many fine things!"
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We did what we always do on weekends, hit the antique shops in the area. One shop I go to a lot had a new person manning the desk, so I explained I was dealer, started my pile of wood kitchenwares and primitives, and she kept insisting on directing my attention to crystal, cut glass and hand painted china. I kept smiling and pointing out that my little niche is all about the wood prims, and she kept getting out the crystal bowls, and even said at the end of our stay, about my little pile of wood spoons, "No one is actually going to buy those are they?" Well, I hope so... This got me thinking about all the funny antique stores I've been in over the last 30 years, which brings me to my favorite antique stop of all times, the one that happened back in 1980 and my husband and I still laugh about it. We were in the breathtakingly beautiful town of Galena Illinois (that is what my photos are of). Way up on the hill is a huge white house, which then had a sign out front "Antiques". We went to the front door and were confronted with a note "Ring the Bell" , which we did. After a wait, the door creaked open just a crack, and an elderly man peered through the crack and snapped "What do you want?" We explained about seeing the antiques sign and thought there was a shop here. "Well, it is. What antiques do you want?" We said we just liked antiques and what kind did he sell? "Fine things, many fine things!", and still did not open the door. We had to know now, so asked if we could come in and he grudgingly allowed us through, the house was filled with, you guessed it, lead crystal and hand painted china! Since we didn't buy anything, I'm guessing we might have been the last customers he ever let in. To this day, we walk into a china shop, look at each other and say "Fine things, many fine things!"
We loved Galena too in the 80's there was nothing like it. I think I know which house it was too.
ReplyDeleteWe go to Galena every fall and have been for 15 years. We love and never tire of this "Beautiful Historial town".
ReplyDeleteWe stay out in the country off of "Black Jack Road"! Usually, we always find a treasure to bring home that we can't resist.
Love your collections of early american antiques. I am sure they are hard for you to part with! They would be for me.
I am new at your blog and I will visit you again soon! Thanks for sharing your lovely pictures of Galina. :) Carolyn from Des Moines, Iowa